


Stories of the Second Self: Righteous Fury

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [122]
Category: Urban Fantasy - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:07:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22673032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: Sariel Hayes celebrates a year as a paralegal in training on the job, when she encounters an ex-boyfriend from before Alter Idem. Later in the week, Sariel gets a call from her mother, after having not spoken since Sariel's wings grew and she left home. Realizing the suspect coincidences, Sariel is again ambushed by her mother's pastor who, in trying to lure her back to church, crosses a line that becomes Sariel's last straw.
Series: Alter Idem [122]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Righteous Fury

For the first time since moving from her home town, Sariel Hayes managed to hang onto a job for more than a year. What's more, the Goodwin, Rosen, and Baker Law Firm she worked for was providing her on-the-job training to become a paralegal.

It was reason enough to celebrate, and Sariel went out with other employees to a local bar. The evening went well enough, but after she went back outside Sariel saw the face of someone she never expected to see again.

"Miguel?" Sariel asked the Light skin-toned Hispanic man looking keenly interested in her.

"Yeah," he replied, a smile brightening up his face. "I'd heard you moved out here and wanted to catch up."

"You know it's over between us, right?" Sariel said, and ruffled the light-bending feathers of her wings. "It's been over since before these."

"Yeah, no, I know." Miguel sounded sincere. "Just that I wanted to say hi, and ask how things are going for you."

"Steady job, and it pays well," Sariel answered, unsure if he wanted more. "Haven't had any problems worth mentioning."

She noticed his cross pendant and wondered if he thought it time to 'save her soul' or something. But, Miguel merely nodded and walked away. That by itself wouldn't have made Sariel wonder, but there was more to come.

Later that week, Sariel was in her apartment after work, when her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"How's my blessed angel?" her mom asked.

"Uhh," Sariel drew out, "I'm fine. How's everyone at home?"

"It's gotten easier since your dad left," her mother just dropped it like that.

"Wait," Sariel sat up, "When did that happen?"

"It was a couple years ago, sweetie," her mother assured, and Sariel could practically see the dismissing hand gesture before her mother went on, "I heard from Miguel, that nice boy you used to be engaged with."

"Mom, I wasn't engaged with him," Sariel corrected, and started to get suspicious. "Is that what he told you after he ran into me a few days ago?"

"No, but you really shouldn't have let him get away," her mother replied, "He was so good to you, and he's respectable."

Sariel's mother's way of saying godly, which was part of what was wrong in their relationship, Sariel remembered as she spoke, "We're different people, mom. Especially now."

"Are you going to services?" her mother asked, in a way Sariel knew she wasn't listening.

"No," Sariel answered with finality, "I'm not interested in that stuff."

"Is it because of that Lilith Goodwin you work for?" her mother asked.

"How do you know where I work?" Sariel inquired, struggling to keep hardness out of her tone.

"I think Miguel mentioned it," her mom answered with hesitation.

Sariel replayed the brief conversation she had with him in her head, before half-shaking her head. "No, I didn't tell him, so I don't know how he'd know."

"I just felt the spirit tell me that I should reach out to you," her mother verbally pivoted with that near-rapturous voice she got when making a display of her devotion to be seen by others.

"After more than two years?" Sariel asked, and made a crack before thinking better. "I guess heaven's memos are moving slow."

"Sooner or later, you'll return to the Word, Sariel," her mom promised with all the passive-aggressive surety that was a family hallmark.

"Uh-huh, yeah," Sariel became uncomfortable with her mom's redoubled effort. "So-- uh, is there anything else you wanted to tell me. I got something do to, and I need to get back to it."

"You haven't left His sight," her mother poured on the holy of holies rhetoric, "or His love."

"Okay then," Sariel replied, really wishing this called ended. "Love you, gotta go."

Sariel hung up before her mother could slip in a hook under the guise of prolonged goodbyes, and tossed her phone onto the couch. Thinking better of it, she picked it up and turned the ringer off, before again dropping it onto the couch. The thing Sariel had to get back to wasn't that pressing, but she continued the case history search on her work-issued laptop while another old episode of Mattlock aired on the TV.

It's was always the third sign when Sariel would realize the world was telling her something. It happened when she went out to a diner during her lunch break. Yet another face she knew well stared back at her from the far end of the local diner.

Hoping not to draw attention, Sariel resumed eating while reviewing the legal brief she had laid out. Sharp as her angelic vision was, Sariel was distracted enough that she didn't notice the late-middle aged human man in a tan suit get up from his table and cross over to her.

"Sister Sariel Hayes," Pastor Tony Bent addressed her, standing by her table.

"Excuse me?" Sariel looked up, realizing her plan to ignore him failed.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked, and then helped himself before she could utter a word. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while."

"Oh," Sariel gave a long blink, "That's why you had an old ex and my mother broach me after years of the silent treatment?"

"You are one of His chosen," Tony said, "Named for one of the highest in our Lord's angelic choir."

"Well, I was a newborn then," Sariel snarked, "so I really didn't have any say in the matter."

Tony Bent waved at her wings. "What more obvious hint do you need that you have a holy calling?"

"Look," Sariel decided being polite wasn't scoring any points, and let it out, "I told my family three years ago that I can't do miracles."

"But we're in an age of miracles, child," Tony said.

"Magic, miracles, whatever it is," Sariel prefaced, "I don't know how to do any of it. I'm sure I could learn, but I don't have the time now."

"You don't have to learn, just believe," Tony explained, holding his hands out as if he were at the pulpit.

"Yeah, and I'm not religious, so no," Sariel retorted.

"Is this about what happened between us?" Tony asked, much to Sariel's disbelief as he heaped on his horseshit. "I forgive you."

"Ohh," Sariel heaved the word out, her face caught between disgust and the verge of bursting out laughing. "You forgive me? That's odd, since I didn't do anything you didn't earn. If there's one miracle I'd like to pull out of a hat-- Minister Bent, it'd be that pillar of fire thing," Sariel's eyes grew intense, and her jaw tight, "right here, right now. You don't tell me what I need forgiveness for."

"Not even penance for working with ungodly creatures?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, that's what this is all about," Sariel concluded, "I'm helping people. By that I mean real help. Your thoughts and your prayers? That doesn't do a goddamn thing."

Tony hissed at that as he leaned back. "Sariel, girl...."

"Don't even start that," Sariel interrupted, hardly aware she stood and unwittingly pushing her chair back. "I'm not one of your flock, and I don't owe you jack shit."

"I'll bet Miss Goodwin," Tony managed to make mockery of Lilith's name, "didn't mention the Akron Community Coalition, did she."

"Sounds like activists that we could really use," Sariel dismissed, having no familiarity with the name, and then she started packing away her things. "That you don't like them or the firm makes it all that much better. Yes, I work for a werewolf, and no it doesn't bother me."

"God will not approve," Tony's expression darkened.

"Well," Sariel decided one theatrical mockery deserved another, "Tell your boss he's free to file a friend-of-the-court brief-- once he becomes a citizen or establishes legal residency."

After closing and picking up her briefcase, Sariel swept up her bill to pay at the front, untrusting of the 'good pastor' to leave her payment and tip untouched. About to walk away, however, Sariel suffered the last indignity, when Tony rose and reached under her upper arm.

"They're monsters from the pit of hell," Tony whispered.

His knuckle brushed against her breast, which he may not have intended, but because of her past with him, Sariel reflexively opened her wings and swept them back hard. The wrist joint of one wing cracked solidly into his mouth, and Tony fall backward onto the floor.

Sariel, truly enraged wheeled about hardly aware of the sudden glare of light around her. "And one more thing, asshole! You DO NOT touch me again! We're way passed restraining orders now! That's the legal definition of battery, and I could easily have your rat ass hauled off in cuffs. Or, I could simply beat the living shit out of you and tell the cops it was self-defense. There's plenty of witnesses for that!"

Tony held his teeth, but when pulling his hand away to reveal a split lip, he didn't seem concerned about it. That's because he was squinting with a look of both awe and horror at Sariel standing above him, her outstretched wings blasted golden light throughout the diner.

When it finally hit her, Sariel looked to one of her wings, and then the other. She previously had seen her feathers redirect light from other sources to get that halo effect, but this time she was pretty sure there wasn't even close to the luminosity to explain her shining so bright everyone in the diner had to shield their eyes except herself, and a couple other angels in the room.

"So help me," Sariel returned her blinding ire onto Minister Tony Bent. "You lay a hand on me one more time, and I'll kick you in the nuts until you're a fucking eunuch! Stay! The fuck! Away from me!"

By now, the diner owner came to see the commotion and came up with his hand to ward off the glare, until Sariel noticed him, and the intense light faded.

"I'm so sorry," the owner apologized, looking between her and Tony, still on the floor. "I didn't see what started this. I'll throw him out right now. Meal's on the house."

"No, I can cover it," Sariel's tone immediately dropped several notches, and she handed over the money.

"No, really," the owner gently pushed her hand back. "I mean it."

Sariel separated bills out and handed over a smaller amount. "Well, here's for the tip at least. Tell the server he's earned it."

"I'll do that," the owner said solemnly and accepted the money in both hands with a reverence that Sariel though excessive.

"Thanks," Sariel offered, and headed for the exit.

She was stopped again by one of the other angels who witnessed both the light and fury of her outburst. "Hey, how'd you do that?"

"What?" Sariel was taken off guard by the question, and looked back absently, before saying, "I don't know. That was the first time. Why, can't we all do that?"

She had referred to other angels, but the man shook his head as he replied, "No... well, I'd been pissed before, but I didn't light up like that. I think only archangels can do that."

"I wasn't aware there were any such thing among us," Sariel said, confused by this revelation, and just thought of something. "I know that douche on TV, Collins claims to be an archangel, but I figure he's just full of shit as per usual."

"I don't know about him," the angelic man replied, "but, no there're others out there. I'm not sure what separates them from the rest of us, but that thing with the light is one way to know."

Sariel took a step back, uncertainty all over her face. "Really. I'll have to look into that. Thanks for for the tip."

"Sure," the man said, "I guess it doesn't need saying, but if I'd seen that guy was harassing you, I would've stepped in."

Sariel took a moment to gauge his sincerity, but from what she could tell, there was more to contrast this guy from the sleaze bags she'd run into over many years.

"Thanks, but I think I made my point with him," Sariel accepted.

Again turning to leave, Sariel stopped when the man asked one more question. "If it's not too personal, what did he do to you?"

Sariel looked up and away, but not from reluctance to answer. "I was thirteen and my mother made me go to church every Sunday and sing on his choir. One day, when practice was over he kept me after to talk."

"Oh my god," the angelic man's face sank from sorrow. "I didn't mean to,... I mean, that's awful!"

"That's just it," Sariel smiled and let a soft chuckle out, "He might've tried that eventually, but I don't know. See, I kicked him in the groin and ran off. Told my mom when I got home. Said that I wasn't going back, and said she'd have to throw me out of the house with God watching."

That invoked a grin on the man, and he laughed looking down at his prior assumption. "That's pretty funny. Did it work?"

"Yeah," Sariel reflected with a humor that came later in life. "Though, I moved out at sixteen anyway. I'm sure my mother was relieved, even though she never admits it. Say, what's your name?"

"I don't suppose Samuel Engall would be too dramatic, would it?" he introduced himself by way of asking.

"No," Sariel answered, starting to like the man to whom she held her hand out. "Sariel Hayes."

"Sariel," Samuel considered, and nodded. "Yeah, that totally works."

"Maybe I'll see you around?" Sariel offered.

"Yeah," Samuel smiled with a wholesomeness Sariel was encouraged by. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Sariel."

"Bye," Sariel said, and stepped out backwards still looking at him.

His gaze also lingered, and yet, having just met, he didn't immediately ask for a date or her number. Samuel appeared to trust that he would meet her again, and so Sariel kept his face and name in mind as she left for her car.


End file.
